The number 69 is juvenielly considered a dirty number. What I find interesting, though, is how mathematically (in a very simplistic way) it seems to be an extremely complete number. The sum of 6 and 9 is a graphically symetrical and perfectly balanced 15
11111 11111 11111
in which there is a central mark, on either side of which the same number of digits and spaces appear. The numbers 6 and 9 complete one another. Is there a mathematical term for this type of sum?
Note: The only reason I ever noticed this was because of my extensive low level Kakuro playing, a puzzle with which I am occasionally obsessed to the obliteration of all other responsibilities. The first time I tried it I told Michael there was no way I would ever be able to figure it out. Then it started getting really, really interesting.
Also, consider this: The number 69 can be written so as to resemble the yen and yang, the eastern symbol for perfect balance in the universe. Surely this couldn't possibly be a coincidence. I am certainly no mathematician, but some of these concepts are fascinating.
3 comments:
Do you like Sudoku? puzzles...are they similiar??? I love those but I am not sure what Kakuro puzzles are. Sounds interesting but probably beyond my thinking/ or desired thinking level :)
Kakuro is another number puzzle, very similar to Sudoku, at least in theory. It's also known as cross-sums because it involves non-repeating digits between one and nine that combine to form larger numbers. It isn't nearly as difficult as it sounds, and if you use number charts, which are often provided, you don't actually have to do any math at all. Once you get used to it, the process becomes fairly automatic. For instance, because I've played a lot, I know that there are only two non-repeating digits that combine to equal 16. The same goes for 17. It's all a matter of pattern. Playing Kakuro has really improved my addition simply because I understand better the way that numbers work.
You can find a sample puzzle on www.kakuro.com, but it is much less daunting if you start with a book that sort of trains you as you go. "The Essential Book of Kakuro" by Gareth Moore is a good one.
I do like Sudoku puzzles, by the way, but since I started working at Kakuro I've never looked back. Maybe that's one of the things I should do with my birthday money--buy myself another Kakuro book.
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